Mendip

Mendip's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in religion, housing tenure and work life.

The population reached nearly 110,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Mendip increased by 5.2%, from just under 104,000 to 109,000.

The addition of just over 5,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Mendip was home to, on average, 1.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was similar to the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Rise in rate of self-employment

This area saw the South West's second-largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

Across the region, only South Hams saw a greater rise in the proportion of self-employed people (from 15% to 17%).

During this period, Mendip overtook East Devon to become the South West local authority area with the eighth-highest percentage of self-employed people.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) people aged 16 to 74 in Mendip said they were self-employed, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 52% to 52%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Mendip

The number of people in Mendip that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 17,000 in 2001 to about 30,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 27% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the South West (from 17% to 30%), but at a faster rate than the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Mendip that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 77,000 in 2001 to about 68,000 in 2011 (from 75% to 62%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 8,400 to about 9,500 (from 8.1% to 8.7%).

Just over 1,200 people (0.7%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from just under 690 in 2001 (1.1%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Mendip increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Mendip by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Mendip that rented privately increased from 10% to 15% in the decade to 2011.

The proportion that lived in social housing remained close to 12%, while the percentage of Mendip households that owner their home decreased from 74% to 70%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 11% in 2001 to 17% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Mendip increased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Mendip, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Mendip working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 13% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Mendip decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Mendip, the South West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Mendip

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Mendip, but at a slower rate than in nearby Bath and North East Somerset.

In Mendip, the proportion of single people increased from 26% in 2001 to 29% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Bath and North East Somerset increased from 32% to 37%.

Across the South West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in Mendip fell from 55% to 51%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links